GAME OF THE WEEK (Feb. 14–Feb. 20)

WRESTLING (WIAA D3 Mineral Point Sectional): Fennimore sends 10 to state

      MINERAL POINT — After Wednesday WIAA Division 3 Team Sectional championship, the Fennimore wrestling team continued its school record-breaking success Saturday at the WIAA Division 3 Mineral Point Individual Sectional.

     All 10 Fennimore sectional qualifiers reached the finals at the loaded sectional, and all 10 advance to this weekend’s WIAA D3 Individual State Tournament that begins Thursday night at 7 p.m. at the Kohl Center in Madison.

     The 10 individual state qualifiers is a school record and the most by any team in Division 3 this year.

     “We made school history once again,” said Fennimore head coach Chad Steldt. “The boys are putting it all together and it is fun to be a part of. There is always a little disappointment, but never before have I coached a team that went 10 for 10 two rounds in a row. On top of that, our guys were very dominating. They were intense, knew their game plans inside and out, and got after it.”

     Junior Luke Blair (113 pounds), junior Mason Lull (120), junior Alex Birchman (126), junior Aidan Nutter (132) and junior Will Ahnen (170) each won individual sectional titles and will have a first-round bye Thursday night. All five will open their 2019 state tournaments with quarterfinal matches Friday morning.

     Sophomore Brody Lee (106), senior Trevor Wanek (138), senior Maguire Fitzgerald (160), junior Aaron Ragels (195) and senior Bryden Lefler (220) each finished second in their respective weight classes.

     Fennimore’s sectional runners-up will begin the 2019 D3 state tournament Thursday night with preliminary matches. The Division 2 and 3 first round session begins at 7 p.m. at 106 pounds. 

     Blair (31–7) reached the 113-pound championship match with an injury default victory over Riverdale’s Justice Dilley. He then defeated Lancaster’s Carter Lull (34–10) 2–0 in the finals with a takedown in overtime to earn his first state berth.

     Lull (35–12) will be making his third straight state appearance after winning the 120-pound title with a 6–3 decision over Joseph Penchi of La Crosse Aquinas.

     Birchman (31–11) finally got his man and in the process, earn his third trip to the state tournament. After narrowing the score in consecutive losses to Mineral Point senior Danny Pittz in the past two weeks (at conference and regionals), Birchman defeated Pittz (35–4) 6–2 in Saturday’s 126-pound sectional final.

     “It was great that Alex Birchman finally got by Pittz,” said Steldt. “Pittz is a great competitor and it is actually because of him that Alex has improved so much. We knew we had to beat one of the best in the state so we trained to do so. This created a great and memorable match for everyone involved.

     “Birchman is symbolic of our overall team and program. He stuck to the regiment of training that allowed him to beat a kid that beat him two times prior. He did it attacking a technique hat we have tirelessly trained for, so it was great to see it all come together.”

     Nutter (37–7) is also a three-time state qualifier after winning the 132-pound title with back-to-back first-period pins and a 6–3 championship victory over Mineral Point’s Caden Carey (34–6).

     Ahnen (35–9) earned his second straight state berth by winning the 170-pound title with a dominating 55-second pin of Cambridge’s Caden Grieser (24–15) in the finals.

     Lee (27–11) finished second at 106 after a 7–2 championship loss to top-ranked Remington Bontreger (45–1). Lee is a two-time state qualifier.

     Wanek (30–14), who won the 126-pound D3 state title two years ago as a sophomore, became a four-time state qualifier after finishing second at 138 on Saturday. Wanek finished second after a dramatic 9–7 overtime loss to Darlington/Black Hawk’s Kolbe Ubersox (36–4) in the finals.

     “My hats off to Ubersox and Trevor Wanek as well,” said Steldt. “We ended up taking the loss, but that match was more action packed then any other match this year. Both of these boys will hopefully meet at the Kohl Center so the rest of the state can enjoy their skills.”

     Fitzgerald (36–6) became a three-time state qualifier with a second-place finish at 160. He suffered a 5–4 loss to Ithaca/Weston’s Colton Clary in the finals.

     Ragels (34–10) went 2–1 at sectionals to finish second to Lancster’s Caden Straka (39–6) to earn his first trip to state. Straka edge Ragels 2–1 in their title bout.

     Leffler (24–11) is also a first-time state qualifier at 285. His only loss on Saturday was a first-period pin to top-ranked senior Drew Hennessey (37–1) of Iowa–Grant/Highland.

WIAA Division 3 Mineral Point Sectional

(from Saturday, Feb. 16 @ Mineral Point)

Top 10 team scores — 1.Fennimore 195, 2.Mineral Point 101, 3.Lancaster 99.5, 4.Ithaca/Weston 62, 5.Darlington/Black Hawk 45, 6.La Crosse Aquinas 43.5, 7.Riverdale 39, 8.Pecatonica/Argyle 34, 9.North Crawford/Seneca 27.5, 10.De Soto 26.

Fennimore state qualifiers

106 — Brody Lee (27-11) placed 2nd and scored 16.0 team points.

Quarterfinal - Brody Lee (Fennimore) 27-11 won by decision over Nolan McKittrick (Royall) 40-4 (Dec 6-2)

Semifinal - Brody Lee (Fennimore) 27-11 won by fall over Dawson Gross (Pecatonica/Argyle) 27-14 (Fall 0:59)

1st Place Match - Remington Bontreger (Lancaster) 45-1 won by decision over Brody Lee (Fennimore) 27-11 (Dec 7-2)

2nd Place Match - Brody Lee (Fennimore) 27-11 won by rule over Nolan McKittrick (Royall) 40-4 (RULE)

113 — Luke Blair (31-7) placed 1st and scored 22.0 team points.

Quarterfinal - Luke Blair (Fennimore) 31-7 won by fall over Mateah Roehl (Johnson Creek) 20-11 (Fall 1:20)

Semifinal - Luke Blair (Fennimore) 31-7 won by injury default over Justice Dilley (Riverdale) 27-12 (Inj. 0:00)

1st Place Match - Luke Blair (Fennimore) 31-7 won in sudden victory - 1 over Carter Lull (Lancaster) 34-10 (SV-1 2-0)

120 — Mason Lull (35-12) placed 1st and scored 20.0 team points.

Quarterfinal - Mason Lull (Fennimore) 35-12 won by fall over Beau Jelinek (No. Crawford/Seneca) 11-13 (Fall 0:32)

Semifinal - Mason Lull (Fennimore) 35-12 won by decision over Noah Krahenbuhl (Pecatonica/Argyle) 26-4 (Dec 11-4)

1st Place Match - Mason Lull (Fennimore) 35-12 won by decision over Joseph Penchi (Aquinas) 31-3 (Dec 6-3)

126 — Alex Birchman (31-11) placed 1st and scored 20.0 team points.

Quarterfinal - Alex Birchman (Fennimore) 31-11 won by decision over Jayden Marabelli (Riverdale) 15-4 (Dec 6-0)

Semifinal - Alex Birchman (Fennimore) 31-11 won by fall over Juan Alonso (Waterloo) 34-9 (Fall 1:39)

1st Place Match - Alex Birchman (Fennimore) 31-11 won by decision over Danny Pittz (Mineral Point) 35-4 (Dec 6-2)

132 — Aidan Nutter (37-7) placed 1st and scored 22.0 team points.

Quarterfinal - Aidan Nutter (Fennimore) 37-7 won by fall over Isaiah Wollet (Johnson Creek) 26-11 (Fall 2:31)

Semifinal - Aidan Nutter (Fennimore) 37-7 won by fall over Preston Schreier (Cashton) 16-13 (Fall 1:42)

1st Place Match - Aidan Nutter (Fennimore) 37-7 won by decision over Caden Carey (Mineral Point) 34-6 (Dec 6-3)

138 — Trevor Wanek (30-14) placed 2nd and scored 20.0 team points.

Quarterfinal - Trevor Wanek (Fennimore) 30-14 won by fall over Matthew Harter (Cashton) 24-14 (Fall 1:59)

Semifinal - Trevor Wanek (Fennimore) 30-14 won by fall over Logan Clary (Ithaca/Weston) 28-12 (Fall 4:59)

1st Place Match - Kolbe Ubersox (Darlington/Black Hawk) 36-4 won in sudden victory - 1 over Trevor Wanek (Fennimore) 30-14 (SV-1 9-7)

2nd Place Match - Trevor Wanek (Fennimore) 30-14 won by fall over Jacob Rogers (New Lisbon) 35-7 (Fall 1:37)

160 — Maguire Fitzgerald (36-6) placed 2nd and scored 16.0 team points.

Quarterfinal - Maguire Fitzgerald (Fennimore) 36-6 won by fall over Dylan Halvorson (Aquinas) 15-16 (Fall 0:55)

Semifinal - Maguire Fitzgerald (Fennimore) 36-6 won by decision over Dylan Horstmeyer (Marshall) 43-10 (Dec 4-2)

1st Place Match - Colton Clary (Ithaca/Weston) 31-5 won by decision over Maguire Fitzgerald (Fennimore) 36-6 (Dec 5-4)

2nd Place Match - Maguire Fitzgerald (Fennimore) 36-6 won by rule over Dylan Horstmeyer (Marshall) 43-10 (RULE)

170 — Will Ahnen (35-9) placed 1st and scored 23.0 team points.

Quarterfinal - Will Ahnen (Fennimore) 35-9 won by major decision over Sawyer Willis (Ithaca/Weston) 21-11 (MD 9-0)

Semifinal - Will Ahnen (Fennimore) 35-9 won by fall over Jack Moen (Marshall) 30-14 (Fall 2:42)

1st Place Match - Will Ahnen (Fennimore) 35-9 won by fall over Kaden Grieser (Cambridge) 24-15 (Fall 0:55)

195 — Aaron Ragels (34-10) placed 2nd and scored 18.0 team points.

Quarterfinal - Aaron Ragels (Fennimore) 34-10 won by fall over Noah DeGroot (Aquinas) 22-9 (Fall 2:47)

Semifinal - Aaron Ragels (Fennimore) 34-10 won by fall over Cade Nettesheim (Ithaca/Weston) 33-7 (Fall 3:52)

1st Place Match - Caden Straka (Lancaster) 39-6 won by decision over Aaron Ragels (Fennimore) 34-10 (Dec 2-1)

2nd Place Match - Aaron Ragels (Fennimore) 34-10 won by rule over Cade Nettesheim (Ithaca/Weston) 33-7 (RULE)

220 — Brayden Leffler (24-11) placed 2nd and scored 18.0 team points.

Quarterfinal - Brayden Leffler (Fennimore) 24-11 won by fall over Terry Hrubes (Riverdale) 26-12 (Fall 1:10)

Semifinal - Brayden Leffler (Fennimore) 24-11 won by fall over Lukas David (Johnson Creek) 33-6 (Fall 1:41)

1st Place Match - Drew Hennessey (Iowa-Grant/Highland) 37-1 won by fall over Brayden Leffler (Fennimore) 24-11 (Fall 1:01)

2nd Place Match - Brayden Leffler (Fennimore) 24-11 won by rule over Lukas David (Johnson Creek) 33-6 (RULE)